Jones was a great story when he came down from Canada and turned himself into the Giants' starting center, but he never became a great player. He was average at best, which is why trading him even for a seventh-round pick was a no-brainer of a move for the Giants.

Giants to rely on other teams to clinch playoff berth in Week 16

As much as the New York Giants wanted to clinch their first playoff berth since 2011 on the field in Philadelphia on Thursday, they know it doesn't really matter how they get in - just as long as they get in. And they can still get in four different ways this weekend, before they even have to think about playing their finale in Washington on Jan. 1.

Breaking down the NFC wild card race: Giants' path is simple

The Daily News Live panel discusses if the Giants are good enough to win a playoff game on the road.

Ralph Vacchiano, SNY.TV:

Earlier this week, I gave you a long and complex look at the New York Giants' relatively simple playoff situation, which boils down to this: win and they're in, or hope they can avoid a three-way tie with the Lions and the Buccaneers.

The NFL made it even simpler. The Giants can clinch a playoff spot in Week 16 if any of these five things happen:

Beckham says he's a targeted player

Oct 4, 2016 | 8:09AM

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. argues a call during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Brace Hemmelgarn/USA Today Sports Images)

After receiving a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in Monday's 24-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. said he is a targeted player.

"It's always, it's just my fault. That's all I look at it as, it's my fault. Whatever you want to call it," Beckham said, according to the Associated Press. "I just have to understand if I sneeze the wrong way, it'll be a flag, it'll be a fine. If I tie my shoe the wrong way, it might be a fine or a flag. It is what it is. You have to understand that.

"The refs are looking to call anything, and they're not looking to call anything the other way," Beckham added. "You have to know that, you have to know that, you have to be OK with it. Unfortunately you have to be OK with it, but that's just the position I'm in."

Beckham shut down, Giants struggle on third downs in loss to Vikings

Oct 3, 2016 | 11:50PM

Minnesota's defense denied Odell Beckham Jr. all night and forced two turnovers that led to 10 points, and the Vikings mystified Eli Manning yet again during a 24-10 victory Monday over the New York Giants.

Sam Bradford threw a touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph for the third straight game and kept his turnover-free streak intact, helping the Vikings (4-0) lead from start to finish after falling behind in each of their first three wins.

Beckham, who has yet to score this season, was smothered by cornerback Xavier Rhodes and had 23 yards on three catches. Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard were quiet, too, and Manning was erratic as ever while finishing 25 for 45 for just 261 yards. Rhodes picked him off in the third quarter, the 15th interception for Manning in eight career starts against the Vikings. He's 2-6 with only five touchdown passes.

Monday-night matchup: Can Giants offense get going in Minnesota?

Looking at this week's matchup between the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, it looks pretty simple to the naked eye. With their running game hit by injuries to RBs Rashad Jennings and Shane Vereen, the Giants will have to pass the ball to win against the ninth-ranked pass defense in the NFL.

Loss to Vikings could force Mara to push the restart button

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin looks on during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. (Brace Hemmelgarn/USATSI)

Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings was rendered meaningless to the New York Giants after the Washington Redskins topped the Philadelphia Eagles to win the NFC East on Saturday night.

With a flimsy, uncoordinated effort, the Giants reminded us of that fact in front of a national audience, losing 49-17 and looking like a team that badly needs to set the restart button.

Playing without wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was suspended one game by the league for his inexplicable tantrum during last week's game against Carolina, the offense showed how reiliant it has become on its young superstar.

Beckham's absence will force others to carry offense against Minnesota

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Panthers defeated the Giants 38-35. (Brad Penner)

Odell Beckham Jr. will not be with the team until next week due to his one-game suspension, which was upheld by the league on Wednesday. Which leads everyone to ask: Who will take his place?

The answer is nobody can replace Beckham. He has been targeted 152 times this season, almost twice as many as the Giants' next receiver, Rueben Randle (78).

But the Giants do have some options. Head coach Tom Coughlin was asked on Thursday what those options might be. Who will the Giants rely on to make the big plays this week?

Giants-Vikings matchup flexed to Sunday Night Football

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning carries the game ball as he exits the field after a win over the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. (Robert Duyos/USATSI)

The Giants-Vikings matchup in Week 16 will be flexed to Sunday Night Football after New York beat the Dolphins on Monday.

Instead of playing at 1 p.m. as originally scheduled, the NFL will move the game to 8:30 p.m. for Sunday Night Football, replacing the Steelers-Ravens matchup.

The Giants have already played five games in the primetime slot: Week 1 against the Cowboys, Week 3 against the Redskins, Week 5 against the 49ers, Week 6 against the Eagles and Week 14 against the Dolphins.

New York's Week 17 matchup against the Eagles cannot be flexed into a primetime slot because the Eagles will have already played the maximum number of primetime games this season (seven) including their Week 15 matchup against the Cardinals (Sunday Night Football) and Week 16 game against the Redskins (Saturday Night Football).

Percy Harvin X-ray shows low-ankle sprain

Wide receiver Percy Harvin has a low-ankle sprain after his X-rays came back negative on Monday (ESPN, December 8).

Harvin was injured in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter of the Jets 30-24 loss against the Minnesota Vikings - arguably his best game since being traded from the Seattle Seahawks with five catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.

He was in a walking boot Monday after the good news that it wasn't a high-ankle sprain, which usually takes several weeks of recovery.

By Jim Mancari | Oct 22, 2013 | 9:58AM

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Let?s start off by saying that it is great that the Giants finally got into the win column.

But let?s be brutally honest: It was anything but pretty.

The Giants missed plenty of opportunities on offense in their 23-7 win Monday night over the Minnesota Vikings. This really could have been a 44-7 game, but again, for the struggling Giants, a win?s a win.

Giants 10, Vikings 7, Halftime

By John Fennelly | Oct 21, 2013 | 10:05PM

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The Giants opened the game with a 17-play, 68-yard drive that ate up 9:36 but stalled in the redzone. Eli overthrew WR Hakeem Nicks in the right corner of the end zone which led to Josh Brown kicking a 35-yard FG to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

Then right before the quarter ended, Vikings' PR Marcus Sherels took a punt 86 yards for TD. To add insult to injury, the Giants were called for two penalties on the play: a holding on Jacquain Williams and a horse collar by punter Steve Weatherford on Sherels as he crossed the goal line.

It was the third punt returned for a TD against the Giants this season.

Giants-Vikings: Points of Interest

By John Fennelly | Oct 21, 2013 | 10:55AM

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We've been told that this week's game vs Minnesota is going to be a reason for football fans to find something else to do tonight. Not so fast. The Giants and the Vikings two teams that still have lots of star players. They both just seem to have gotten outscored and/or found ways to lose this year.

For the Giants, injuries and age have caught up with them. Their weak underbelly has been exposed. Yes, they need to be rebuilt. It doesn't mean they can't rise up and bite you now and then. But, in reality, they aren't a challenger for anything but a top draft pick right now.

But...Eli can hit Victor Cruz at any time for a long TD and the defense can wake up and make a stand on occasion.

Oddsmakers like Giants this week vs Vikings

By John Fennelly | Oct 18, 2013 | 1:42PM

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Here's one for ya...the Giants are winless this season and 1-5 ATS (against the spread) yet they are listed as 3 1/2 point favorites against the Vikings this Monday night.

Yes, I know ?- the Vikings are only 1-4 themselves this season and are a perfect candidate for the Giants to rack up win No.1 against. Plus, the Giants are home and the fans want a win (or else) this week.

Eagles Drop Dud; Bears Clinch

By snygiants1 | Dec 28, 2010 | 11:11PM

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There are no redeeming factors for this Eagles team. They are the villains, case closed. They only lose when you have to root for them. Did they lose on purpose to screw the Giants? I highly doubt it, but if any city would relish the opportunity to screw New York, it's Philadelphia (I refuse to call it "Philly" because nicknames are for friends, and Philadelphia is no friend of mine).

With the Eagles' loss to the punchless Vikings, the Bears are left with nothing to play for (they can technically clinch the #1 seed, but they'd need the Falcons to lose to the Panthers...not happening). The Bears will now rest players in week 17, and the Packers will cruise into the playoffs.

Giants-Vikings: Three Key Offensive Plays

By snygiants1 | Dec 15, 2010 | 5:27AM

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Before we turn our attention to the Eagles, let's recap the three key offensive plays from Monday night's win over the Vikings:

1) The 73-yard run by Brandon Jacobs on the Giants' first drive of the second quarter. They hadn't done anything on offense up until this point, and Jacobs took the ball all the way to the Vikings' 14-yard line, setting up his own one-yard touchdown run four plays later.

2) On first-and-10 from their own 46, and with less than two minutes to go in the half, Eli Manning connected with Hakeem Nicks on a 30-yard pass to the Minnesota 24. Nine plays later, Manning hit Kevin Boss in the end zone to give Big Blue a 14-3 lead going into the half.

More Thoughts on Giants vs. Vikings

By snygiants1 | Dec 14, 2010 | 1:57PM

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- A successful Giants defense has always been built around the ability to rush the quarterback, but a lot of credit has to go to their ability to stop the run. ?It's hard to argue that Adrian Peterson is anything worse than the second best running back in the NFL, and the Giants made him nonexistant. ?Perry Fewell's defense held Peterson to 26 yards on 14 carries, breaking millions of fantasy footballers' hearts in the process. ?The 26 total yards is the second least in his career.

- Aside from running the ball, the other thing the Vikings did really well was stopping the run; holding teams to just 92 yards. Not last night. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs combined for 200 yards for the second straight week. ?After a rough start to the season, the Giants' run blocking has been phenomenal. ?Bradshaw has been consistent and hasn't fumbled in two weeks, while Jacobs is running with the speed, power and?decisiveness?we haven't seen in two years.

- The Giants have now sacked opposing quarterbacks 39 times and have allowed only 13; both are best in the NFL. ?And that's how you win football games.

December 2010: More Giants Football and Less Baseball

By snygiants1 | Dec 14, 2010 | 11:53AM

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How many people want to talk Giants football today??? I am very confident that half the tri-state area would love to talk, listen and debate NY Giants football. ? But that isn't going to happen.

If you use WFAN in New York as a barometer...the on air hosts and the PD have decided that baseball is more important.?? Losing Cliff Lee will dominate sports talk radio in the New York market up until the talking heads are forced to discuss Giants vs. Eagles this upcoming Sunday.? This morning I even heard one host ask a caller how he could possibly stay awake during last nights Giants game.

Road-Weary Giants Dominate Listless Vikes, 21-3

By Johnfen | Dec 13, 2010 | 10:35PM

In a game that people were beginning to think wouldn't happen, the Giants sailed to an easy victory over the benevolent Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit tonight.

Vikings' QB Brett Favre said all week that he was not going to play, and for the first time since George H.W. Bush was President, he didn't.? His streak of consecutive starts ended at an incredible 297 games.

PostGame: Giants 21 Vikings 3

By snygiants1 | Dec 13, 2010 | 10:35PM

- Tavaris Jackson made his first consecutive start in place of Brett Favre, but was briefly knocked out of the game by the Giants' defense. ?The Giants recored 4 sacks.

- Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw both topped 100 yards and each reached the end zone to lead the Giants' dominant rushing game. Jacobs broke off a career long 73 yarder that led to his own one yard touchdown run. ?He finished with 116 yards on 14 carries. ? Bradshaw added a 48 yard touchdown run, and had 103 yards on 11 carries.

Giants 21, Vikings 3 End of Third Quarter

By Johnfen | Dec 13, 2010 | 9:52PM

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The Giants took a 14-3 lead into the second half.

On the opening drive, the Giants took possession and ended up punting after a six-play drive.? Matt Dodge's 56-yard punt was returned 50 yards by Greg Camarillo.? Three plays before, Eli over threw a wide open Hakeem Nicks, who could have taken it to the house, but it was just out of reach.? Nicks left the field limping, but returned the next series.

On the second play of the Vlkings' possession, Jackson underthrew Sidney Rice and was intercepted by Giants' LB Keith Bulluck on the NYG 32.

Giants 14, Vikings 3 - Halftime

By Johnfen | Dec 13, 2010 | 8:49PM

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All of the hopping around the past few days has both teams looking rusty. Poor timing and penalties have made this a hard one to watch.

The second quarter began with the Giants driving in Vikings' territory.? On a 3rd and 9 from the 49, Eli tried to force a pass into Mario Manningham and was picked off by Minnesota's Asher Allen at the 41.

New York Giants Report For Dec 13

By Johnfen | Dec 13, 2010 | 8:00AM

We usually have the hangover on Mondays, but since there was only a Jet game here yesterday (and they looked like they were drinking) we can only chew on gristle until tomorrow.

The Giants are in chilly Detroit right now where the temps are scheduled to be near single digits by tonight.? Good thing they are playing indoors at the Lions' Ford Field.

The game was moved to Detroit for several reasons.? The first was to keep the Vikings in their element. They are an indoor team and they are more familiar with Ford than the Giants. Their fans can make the trip more easily, as well.? How many Vikings fans will be on hand tonight is a huge question given the dismal season they've had....

GameDay: Giants vs Vikings in Detroit

By Johnfen | Dec 13, 2010 | 3:28AM

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The New York Giants (8-4) and the Minnesota Vikings (5-7), forced out of the Metrodome by a snowstorm, travel to Detroit tonight to play an interconference game that carries major implications in the overall NFC playoff picture.

Back to Football: Giants, Vikings Major Concerns

By Johnfen | Dec 12, 2010 | 5:06PM

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from new contributor Greg Hanlon....

Something for the Giants to worry about: Allen vs Diehl

Jared Allen is a game-changing pass rusher.? David Diehl is rusty.? Plus, he can be vulnerable in pass protection, especially against explosive edge-rushers like Allen on artificial turf (see: Dwight Freeney, Week 2).

Report: Favre Doesn't Think He Can Play Monday Night

By snygiants1 | Dec 12, 2010 | 3:41PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has told teammates and associates that he doesn't believe he can play Monday night, and his NFL-record starts streak will end at 297 games, sources with knowledge of the situation said.

"It does not look good," one source close to Favre said Sunday when asked about the feasibility of the quarterback playing in the Vikings' game against the New York Giants. The game was rescheduled to be played in Detroit because of the collapse of the Metrodome roof in Minneapolis.

Giants-Vikings: Metrodome A No-Go; Game to Be Moved

By Johnfen | Dec 12, 2010 | 10:29AM

A press conference has been scheduled for 11 am this morning in Minneapolis.? That's noon to you on the east coast.

Here's what we know.? The Metrodome has been ruled out for tomorrow night's Giants-Vikings game.

An alternative site is being sought.? The University of Minnesota has a 50,000 seat field, but it is outdoors and is basically in the same storm zone as the Metrodome.? It is covered with a foot and a half of snow and will take some time to get into game-shape.

Roof Issue Puts Minny Game In Limbo

By Johnfen | Dec 12, 2010 | 9:17AM

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The roof at the Mall of America Field (aka The Metrodome) is reportedly damaged to the point where no game can be played there until: the snow has been removed,? the building has been assessed and the roof can be re-inflated.

That does not appear to be a reasonable request if the game is to be played tomorrow night. The league is reportedly seeking alternative sites.

The University of Minnesota has a new 50,000 seat outdoor stadium. But it's outdoors - which means its covered with snow and needs to be cleared for play itself. The Giants also reportedly did not pack their outdoor gear....